Ors to themselves and richard c



3 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. D. & J. H. SHELY. HEMP BRAKE AND CLEANER.

Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

q/qhtmeoom w: NPRIXIS PEYEHS co., PHoTo-urno., msmamn. n, c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

- J. D. & J. H. SHELY.

HEMP BRAKE AND CLEANER.

Patented Apr. 28, 189-1.

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- Fries.

UNITED TATES PATENT JOHN D. SHELY AND JOHN H. SHELY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGN- ORS TO THEMSELVES AND RICHARD C. MORGAN, VILLIAM A. SHELY, AND ALDA M. SHELY, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

HEMP BRAKE AND CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent No. 451,438, dated April 28, 1891.

Application filed March 14, 1890. Serial No. 343.916- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: is mounted to slide between guides 6 7, at- 50 Be it known that we, JOHN D. SHELY and tached to rearwardly-inclined posts and 0. JOHN H. SHELY, citizens of the United States, 8 9 represent stationary guides gained into and residents of Lexington, in the county of posts 0.

5 Fayette and State of Kentucky, have in- 10 11 representguides on the rear side of vented certain new and useful Improvements said sash-frame, gained into posts 5. 5 5 in Hemp Brakes and Cleaners, of which the 12 13 represent feed-rolls. The lower one following is a specification. is preferably mounted on stationary journals Our invention relates to hemp brakes and secured to posts C. The upper one is jour- Io cleaners. The drawings show a form of naled in a sliding journal box ll, which brake and cleaner properly adapted to the moves in gains in posts 0. 6o cleaning of hemp, but it is equally adapted to 15 represents an upwardly-projecting lug the cleaning of flax or any other lints, such as or saddle attached to the top of said journaljute, flax, &c. boX. The upper feed-roller which journals I 5 Theobjects of ourinvention are,first,toimtherein is held to its work preferably by prove the machinery for breaking the hemp, weight-levers 16, pivoted on centers 17. The and, second, to deliver the same to a cleaner, saddle 15 is rounded upon its top face, so which removes the hurds, all of which will be that as it is raised the fulcrumpoint is fully set forth in the description of the accombrought nearer to the center 17, thereby in- 20 panyingdrawings, makingapartof this spe'cicreasing the weight as the weighted levers fication, in whichare raised. The weights 18 are likewise shown Figure-1 is aside elevation of our improveas adjustable upon the levers 16, so that more ment. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line or less power may be employed for holding Q9 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is'a sectional elevation on the feed-roller to its work. The weights 18 2 5 line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevamay be held in any desired position on the tion showing the detail of the feed-roll adlevers 16 by means of binding-screws (53; or jnstment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of they may be adjustably held on said levers the bottom cleaner-frame, and Fig. 0 is a perby any suitable means.

'spective view of the top cleaner-frame in- 19 represents a series of dividers attached o verted. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on line to the cross-bar 20, which is rigidly secured a, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a side View of aportion to the posts 5 in rear of the feed-guides 10 8c of the conveyor for carrying off the hurds and 11. that are thrown through and above the upper 21 represents a stationary cleaner-frame. cleaner-frame. It is composed of parallel longitudinal slats 3 5 A represents the sills of the machine; 13 the 22 and frame-pieces 23, by means of which it rear post, and O the front post, of the main is loosely supported on the braces D, which fmma are secured at each end to the posts 13 and C. D represents longitudinal top platesof the In the pro ecting ends of the frame-pieces frame, and E the cross-girders. 23 are perforations 64: for the passage of guide- 40 Gr represents a secondary sill bolted onto bolts 65, around which are placed springs 66,

the top sill A simply for the purpose of elethat permit a slight yielding upward movevating the pulleys. ment of the cleaner-frame 21 to relieve it from 1 represents the main driving-shaft. It is strain under pressure of the hemp passing provided with fast and loose pulleys F L, by beneath said frame. Aside from this slight 45 which power is received. yielding movement of the cleaner-frame 21, it

2 2 represent crank-wheels, which are prois practically stationary. The guide-bolts 65 5 vided with crank-pins 62. are passed through the frame-pieces 23 and 3 3 represent pitmen conveying motion to braces D, as shown in Fig. 1. Each bolt is the vibratory breaker-frame 1. This frame provided on its lower end with a nut 67, and

has about midway its length a rigid collar 68, that is countersunk in the upper side of the brace and together with the nut 67 holds the bolt in place.

Between the collar (58 and end cross-piece 23 of the cleaner-frame is a nut 69, by which a slight vertical adjustment may be given to said cleaner-frame, and on the upper end of the bolt is a nut 70, by which the spring 66 can be compressed to any desired degree to vary its pressure on the end cross-piece of the cleaner-frame, which is thus made both adjustable and yielding.

2i represents a vibratory cleaner-frame. It is composed of parallel longitudinal slats 25, which are rigidly secured to thelongitudinal rails 26 by means of cross-rails 27 and clips 67, passed over the ends of the slats 25 and engaged with the end cross-rails 27, as shown in Fig. 5. This frame is made vibratory by the following instrumentalities:

ll represents a sprocket-wheel upon shaft 1, which transmits motion to the sprocket wheel I on the shaft 28, which is journaled upon brackets 20.

3O 30 represent crank-wheels keyed to each end of said shaft.

3i 3st represent crank-pins. These crankpins are preferably made adjustable by being stepped in the slide-blocks 35, which are j ournaled in the recess 36, pierced in the face of said crank-wheels 30.

i0 &0 represent brackets attached to the longitudinal frame-pieces 26. The rear end of said vibratory cleaner-frame Bl is preferably supported upon friction-rollers M, which are journaled between the brackets 42 and the frame-piece 26, as shown in Fig. 5.

43 43 represent ways formed in the pillowblocks 4.4.. l5 l5 represent guides secured to said pillow-blocks for holding down the journals on the rear end of said frame.

The mode of operation is as follows: The hemp, flax, or other stalks to be treated are fed in between the feed-rollers 12 and 13, the guides S and 0 holding them in proper position to be acted upon by the vibratory or breaking frame et. K represents an opening in said breaker-frame through which the stalks are passed. This frame is rapidly vibrated by means of its crank-wheels and pitmen, and strikes the stalks and carries them rapidly back and forth between the stationary guides, breaking the pith in both directions. '0 prefer to have the stroke of the pitmen 3 adjustable by attaching their crankpins in the same manner as the adjustable crank-pins 31-. (Shown in Fig. 1.) As the hemp is passed forward by the feed-rollers and treated by the breakers it is carried in between the cleaner-frames 21 and 2i. lly referring to Fig 3 it will be observed that the posts 0 and 5 are inclined slightly backward, so as to cause the breaker-frame l to move in an oblique plane between the stationary guides 8, f), 10, and ll, that are attached to said posts. The rear guides 10 and 11 are located slightly below the corresponding forward guides S and 9, so that the hemp stalks when acted 011 by the breaker-frame will readily fall away from said guides and pass at once to the cleaner-frames without clogging the guides or breaker-frame. By arranging the breaker-frame and its guides in this manner the hemp isbrokcn alternatelyagainst the upper guides and the lower forward guide 9, but not on the lower rear guide 11, which is located below the limit of stroke given to the breaker-frame 4:, (which is represented in Fig. 3 as being at the lower limit of its stroke,) and so provides a free clearance for the broken stalks on their way to the cleaner-frames. The opening K in the breaker-frame and the several guides against which the stalks are broken have square edges that are adapted to break the stalks without injury to the lint, and as the stalks are made to pass at once to the cleaner-frames after being broken the lint is not torn or crushed and no tow is prod need. The obliquely-reciprocating breakerframe supported in a rearwardly-inelined position, together with the above-described arrangement of front and rear guides with relation to said breaker-frame, is one of the chief distinguishing features of our invention whereby we are enabled to produce the best results in the separation of hurds by said breaking devices and in facilitating the free passage of the broken stalks to the cleaners, so that the breaker will not become clogged and crush or injure the fiber. These re sults are not attained so well or with equal facility in. machines in which the breaker recipi'ocates vertically between guides that are substantially in the same plane. The arrangement of longitudinal slats in the cleanerframes by which the hemp is caused to pass through the machine lengthwise and parallel with said slats also obviates any liability to producing tow, as commonly experienced in hemp-brakes of ordinary construction. The frame 21- is made preferably to vibrate in the path indicated by the dotted lines and arrows a Z). (See Fig. 1.) Motion is imparted to the vibratory frame by means of the crank-wheels 30. As the cleaner-slats 25 are raised they come in contact with the hemp and force it up into the dividers 19, which make openings in the gavel or stream of liberbeing fed under them. The vibratory frame moves forward, so as to take up the hemp as it is .fed by the feed-rollers. The cleaner slats or lingers 25 of the vibratory frame pass between the cleaner-slats 22 of the stationary frame, forcing the hurd out of the hemp, but particularly opening or making divisions in the charge, so that the hurds are separated out from the lint, a part of them being thrown out up through the upper cleaner-frame and a part of the hurds dropping down through the vibratory frame. lly referring to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the stationary and vibratory cleaner-frames are separated from each other a sufficient distance throughout their entire length to enable the hemp or other material acted onto pass all the way between them, the gavel being fed in at one end of said frames and discharged at the other, and in thus passing through the cleaners lengthwise and parallel with the cleaner-slats the gavel or stream of fiber is divided longitudinally and thoroughly cleaned by the action of the parallel and longitudinal slats, which also separate the hurds from the lint.

In order to carry off the hurds which are thrown out through the stationary frame 21, we have provided a conveyer M, which is suitably journaled to the posts B at the lower rear end of the stationary frame. This conveyer is preferably an ordinary worm, which receives its motion from the pulley N (see Fig. 2) by a belt N, Fig. 1. Any form of conveying mechanism, however, may be employed to carry off the surplus hurds. As the hurds are thrown out with great force by the rapid movement of the vibratory cleanerframe we provide an elevated shield 0, secured to the posts B at the rear end of the machine, so as to prevent the hurds from being thrown over onto the apron P of the cleaner-frame, where the clean hemp is removed by the operator. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the lower end of the shield O is extended forward over a portion of the cleaning devices to afford a floor for the conveyer and to prevent any hurds from falling back into the lint that is passing through the cleaner. This apron is preferably canvas and stretched across from the side rails 26 of the vibratory frame 24 in rear of the fingers 25; but any material may be used for this purpose. We prefer to have the vibratory frame 24 move forward in its upward and downward motion in the act of receiving and cleaning the broken stalks, as indicated in dotted lines a b, as this takes up the hemp and assistsin pulling it through and prevents its knotting or tangliiig up in its delivery from the breakers to the cleaners.

We believe we are the first to employ cleaners in which one is stationary and the other is vibratory, where the cleaner slats or strips run longitudinally with the fiber. important advantage is obtained by this means: First, it makes openings or divisions in the charge being acted upon to allow the hurds to pass out; second, it avoids making tow or cutting the fibers, which will always occur whenever the cleaner slats, strips, or fingers are passed transversely across the lint or fibers.

Another advantage is obtained in case short stalks accidentally pass through the breakers without being broken. These stalks will then run across the longitudinal slats or fingers of the cleaner-frames and be operated on by them and both broken and cleaned, so

A Very that the result is the hemp passed through these cleaners is not only cleaned much freer from hurds, but the accidental passing through the cleaner-frames of unbroken and uncleaned stalks is avoided.

WVe have also found that in practice'we can clean hemp which has been overrotted, so that it cannot be well cleaned by hand without breaking into tow. By means of our double-stroke reciprocating slide 4, working between the two sets of guides, another advantage is obtained. A large part of the hurds is cleaned out by the rapid strokes of the reciprocating frame 4, thereby saving a large amount of work by the cleaners.

While we have shown one end of the vibratory frame as supported upon longitudinal moving journals, yet we do not wish to confine ourselves to this means of vibrating the rear end of the frame, as the lower end of the frame 25 might be loosely suspended by means of rods 50 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) with very nearly as good results.

VVehave shown the dividers 19 as stationary instead of revolving, as we deem this the best mode, as it is less liable to tangle the fiber than if they are made to travel.

In order to convey motion to the feed-rolls, we have provided the spur-gears 0 cl and pinion-wheels e, as shown in Fig. 1. f represents the sprocket-wheel on the shaft 45, and 46 represents a sprocket-wheel keyed to the shaft of the lower feed-roller 13, thereby carrying the sprocket-roll 46 outside of the sweep of the crank-wheels and the crank-pins 2 and transmitting motion to the feed-rollers outside of the frame. 47 represent braces, one of which is attached to each post 0 and sill A, so as to strengthen the frame and prevent vibrations. G8 is a sprocket-chain that connects the sprocket-wheels f and 4:6 for driving the feed-rollers.

Having described our invention, what we claim is 1. In a hemp-brake, the combination, with a reciprocatory breaker-frame, of front stationary guides and rear stationary guides located on difierent horizontal planes adjacent to the opposite sides of said breaker-frame to afford a clearance for the stalks, substantially as described.

2. In a hemp-brake, the combination, with a reciprocatory breaker-frame, of guides adjacent to the front and rear sides of said breaker-frame for holding the stalks to the stroke of said frame, the rear upper guide being located below the horizontal plane of the front upper guide to afford a clearance for the stalks, substantially as described.

3. In a hemp-brake, the combination, with a reciprocatory breaker-frame, of guides ad'- jacent to the front and rear sides of said breaker-frame for holding the stalks to the stroke of said frame, the lower rear guide being located below the horizontal plane of the lower front guide, substantially as described.

IIO

4. In a hemp-cleaning machine, a frame provided with longitudinal slats, in combination with driving mechanism for effecting a vibratory movement of said frame in an elliptical path in a plane parallel with the slats, substantially as described.

The combination of a reeiprocatory breaker-frame having a passage for stalks, stationar t guides in front and rear of the breaker-frame for holding the stalks to the action of said frame, and a cleaner having a vibratory frame provided with slats arranged longitudinallyin the direction of the path of the fiber or stalks for removing hurds from lint, substantially as described.

6. In a hemp-brake, the combination of feedrollers, a breaker device, and a cleaner having a vibratory frame for removing hurds from the lint and dividing the gavel longitudinally as it passes lengthwise of said cleaner, substantially as described.

7. In a hemp-brake, the combination, with a cleaner, of a reciprocating breaker and stationary guides in front and rear of said breaker for holding the stalks to the action of the breaker, said front and rear guides being located in dilferent horizontal planes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a hemp-cleaning machine, the combination, with a cleaning mechanism, of asliield located above said cleaning mechanism to receive the hnrds which are thrown out from the upper side of the lint, substantially as described.

9. A combined hemp brake and cleaner consisting of hemp breaking and cleaning devices and a series of dividersloeated between the hemp breaking and cleaning devices, substantially as described.

10. Acombined hemp brake and cleaner consisting of a hemp-breaking device, a cleaner having avibratory frame for removing hurds from thelint and dividing the gavel longitudinally as it passes lengthwise of said cleaner, and means for vibrating said frame in a plane intersecting and in line with the movement of the fiber, substantially as described.

11. In a hemp-brake, the combination, with the obliquely reciprocating breaker-frame supported in an oblique rearwardly-inelined plane, of guides at the front and rear of said breaker frame for holding the stalks to the stroke of said frame, the lower rear guide being located below the plane of the front guides and below the limit of stroke given to thebreaker-frame to afford a clearance for the broken stalks, substantially as described.

12. In a hempbrake, the combination, with the obliquely reciprocating rearwardly inclined breaker-frame, the cleaners, and the feed-rollers, of the front stationary guides between said rollers and breaker-frame, and the rear stationary guides between the breakerframe and cleaners and located below the plane of the corresponding front guides to afford a clearance for the broken stalks, substantially as described.

13. In a hemp-brake, the combination of the feed-rollers, the breaker-frame, the stationary and vibratory cleaner-frames, the front stationary guides between the feedrollers and breaker-frame, and the rear stationary guides between the breaker-frame and cleaner-frames and located below the plane of the corresponding front guides, substantially as described.

14. In a hemp-cleaning machine, in combination with the feed rollers and breaking device, the series of stationary dividers 19, placed between the breaking and cleaning device, for dividing the hemp longitudinally in its passage to the cleaners, substantially as herein specified.

15. In ahemp-cleaning machine, cleanerframes separated from each other throughout their entire length to afford a space for the gavel to be fed in at one end and discharged at the other, each of said frames comprising parallel longitudinal slats for removing the hurds from the lint and dividing the gavel longitudinally as it passes lengthwise between the frames and parallel with the cleaner-slats, substantially as described.

16. In a hemp-cleaning machine, the stationary frame 21, provided with longitudinal slats 22, in combination with the vibratory frame 24, provided with longitudinal slats 25, with driving mechanism for moving the vibratory frame in the path a Z), substantially as herein specified.

1.7. A combined hemp brake and cleaner consisting, substantially, of the feed-rolls, the reciprocating breaker-frame 1, stationary guides on each side of the breaker-frame, and the stationary and vibratory cleaner-frames provided with longitudinal cleaning-slats, substantially as described.

18. A combined hemp brake and cleaner consisting of the hemp-breaking device, the cleaner-frames, a series of dividers located between the hemp breaking and cleaning devices, and means for actuating one of the cleaner-frames, substantially as described.

19. In combination with the cleaner-frame 21, the conveyer M and the shield O, substantially as specified.

20. The combination,with an upper cleanerframe and a lower cleaner-frame, each provided with longitudinal slats for removing hurds from lint, of a breaker-frame having a slot for the passage of stalks, and stationary guides in front and rear of thebreaker-frame for holding the stalks to the action of said frame, the rear guides being located below the plane of the front guides to afford a clearance to the cleaner frames, substantially as described.

21. The combination of the longitudinallyslatted cleaner-frames, the rearwardly-inelined breaker-frame, the feed-rolls, the front IIO stationary guides, the rear stationary guides tory cleaner-frames, and the conveyer located located below the plane of the front guides, above the stationary cleaner-frame, substanand the stationary dividers located between tially as described.

the breaking and cleaning frames to divide In testimony whereof we have hereunto set 5 the hemp longitudinally in its passage to the our hands. cleaners, substantially as described. JOHN D. SHELY. 22. The combination of the feed-rolls, the JOHN H. SHELY. breaker-frame, the stationary guides in front Witnesses: and rear of said frame, the dividers in rear of B. F. HARDESTY,

10 the breaker-frame, the stationary and vibra- D. CLOHESEY. 

